Reply to: Virgin Galactic Lose Spaceship Two, Fate of Pilots Unknown

[NickFitz]

A very good piece on the incident and its implications in PopSci: What's Next For Virgin Galactic? | Popular Science

[pjclarke]

Some interesting theories, there.

Me, I think one of the Galactinauts forgot to put his phone into Flight mode.

[NickFitz]

Well I guess we'll just have to wait for the full NTSB report. Im more inclined to believe something went pop and in the confusion, one of the pilots grabbed the actuator to change the wing angle.

NTSB are saying this mechanism was deployed at the wrong time but they havent to my knowledge said its the root cause of the crash.

Indeed, we'll have to wait and see. However, if the tanks and engines are indeed intact, it should allow them to work out why it happened a bit quicker than if they were spread out over a few miles of desert in several thousand pieces.

[BolshieBastard]

Alternatively: faulty thing pops out, which causes structural damage, which causes the rocket plume to distort or shoot out sideways or whatever, giving the impression of an explosion but actually happening as a result of the damage, not causing it.

Well I guess we'll just have to wait for the full NTSB report. Im more inclined to believe something went pop and in the confusion, one of the pilots grabbed the actuator to change the wing angle.

NTSB are saying this mechanism was deployed at the wrong time but they havent to my knowledge said its the root cause of the crash.

[NickFitz]

The pictures clearly show some explosion near the back of the craft in flight. Compare these pictures to the ones showing rocket ignition following separation from the White Knight(?). These show the classic 'cones' within the eflux of a clean burn.

Something went 'pop' either within the combustion chamber or fuel supply and I suspect this blew the linkage for the flying wing which increased drag leading to structural failure.

Alternatively: faulty thing pops out, which causes structural damage, which causes the rocket plume to distort or shoot out sideways or whatever, giving the impression of an explosion but actually happening as a result of the damage, not causing it.

[BolshieBastard]

It's now being reported that some device intended to slow the craft down after re-entry deployed unexpectedly: BBC News - Virgin Galactic crash: Slowing device 'deployed early'

The fuel tanks and engines have been found intact, so that's one line of uninformed speculation closed off.

The pictures clearly show some explosion near the back of the craft in flight. Compare these pictures to the ones showing rocket ignition following separation from the White Knight(?). These show the classic 'cones' within the eflux of a clean burn.

Something went 'pop' either within the combustion chamber or fuel supply and I suspect this blew the linkage for the flying wing which increased drag leading to structural failure.

[BolshieBastard]

Did I read it correct in the Sunday times that It was only the 4th time they have tried to fly the rocket part.

Not sure that is correct. This was the first time they'd flown with the new 'plastic' fuel pellet.

Truth or history more correctly be told, the US took far bigger risks sending crews to the moon ie Apollo 8, only one engine on the CSM for the burn to escape lunar orbit. Lunar lander descent and ascent engine, the fuel was so corrosive it wrecked the engine so they couldnt test them before flight.

[d000hg]

Did I read it correct in the Sunday times that It was only the 4th time they have tried to fly the rocket part.

I don't know, but maybe you could try reading it again and report back? Try reading the words aloud slowly as you go.

[minestrone]

Did I read it correct in the Sunday times that It was only the 4th time they have tried to fly the rocket part.

[NickFitz]

It's now being reported that some device intended to slow the craft down after re-entry deployed unexpectedly: BBC News - Virgin Galactic crash: Slowing device 'deployed early'

The fuel tanks and engines have been found intact, so that's one line of uninformed speculation closed off.

[Doggy Styles]

WHS.

NASA and the Russians didn't get it right first time.

Fair play to the brave bastards who continue to put their lives on the line at the pointy end!

What Churchill and Owlhoot and OPM said.

[OwlHoot]

Also I hate this sort of thing - the only way we are going to advance as a civilization is by individuals breaking new boundaries - fook wits who think we should sit at home smoking the pipe, reading the telegraph and hating the p***s should go die quietly somewhere.

WHS - Back in the 1880s no doubt smug carriage makers were scoffing at early car makers toiling in their garages, saying they should stick to horses and bicycles.

[Churchill]

The main problem with this sort of venture is the same with any venture into the unknown - mistakes will be made, people will die and lessons will be learned.

We have to accept that is the price of progress as we have done since the dawn of time until Health and Safety removed the ability to take risks and therefore removed the ability to innovate.

WHS.

NASA and the Russians didn't get it right first time.

Fair play to the brave bastards who continue to put their lives on the line at the pointy end!

[original PM]

He's a business man, I doubt if he knows how any of it works.

It's a case of "make it so" just like the ****whits in charge of this place.

Interesting how many engineers have walked away from this particular enterprise(tm).

Oh, you could have had the same quote from the Wail & a shedload of others.

Sex and Rockets: The Occult World of Jack Parsons

The main problem with this sort of venture is the same with any venture into the unknown - mistakes will be made, people will die and lessons will be learned.

We have to accept that is the price of progress as we have done since the dawn of time until Health and Safety removed the ability to take risks and therefore removed the ability to innovate.

[MyUserName]

There is no way he would not go on the maiden voyage, it would be the worst PR possible.

The first couple of flights will not be called the maiden voyage, they will be called test flights. They will keep being called that until the technology is sufficiently proven and then he will jump in and call it the maiden voyage.